Argentina were clear favorites against Egypt, arriving in excellent form after a string of consecutive victories. Nevertheless, they have not been very solid defensively, leaving several spaces open, as happened against Cape Verde. Taking advantage of those mistakes, Egypt scored an early goal. However, Scaloni’s team had a great chance to equalize from the penalty spot, but Lionel Messi surprisingly missed the spot kick.
After conceding the opening goal, Argentina lost much of their control of the match. Nevertheless, they produced a brilliant counterattack down the left flank, relying on their pace. After winning a foul inside the penalty area, the referee awarded a penalty to Lionel Scaloni’s team. Although Messi has been one of the tournament’s top scorers, he struck his effort toward the right side, but it was saved by Mostafa Shobeir Oufa.
Lionel Messi has already missed two penalties at the 2026 World Cup, becoming the first player in the tournament’s history to do so. As a result, the veteran has now accumulated four missed penalties in World Cup history, excluding shootouts, according to Guinness World Records via X. In addition, he is not having his best match, as he has been limited by the opposition’s tight marking.
Unlike previous matches, Argentina have not managed to control the tempo of the game. Despite having a crowded midfield, they lack play through the middle. Because of this, they have been limited to playing down the flanks, looking for crosses into the box. With this in mind, the absence of a player like Thiago Almada seems to be noticeable, as they have not been able to control the game because Messi is surrounded by too many players.
Lionel Messi’s efficiency from the penalty spot still stands out
Lionel Messi has become one of the greatest goalscorers in history. Although he did not usually excel from the penalty spot, he has become one of the leading penalty takers, improving his conversion rate. As one of the greatest players in history, he usually takes penalties for both his club and Argentina, having taken around 150 penalties with a high success rate despite his recent misses.
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Of the 150 penalties Messi has taken, he has converted 114, giving him a 78% conversion rate. In addition, he usually takes them in high-pressure moments, such as UEFA Champions League finals and even the 2022 World Cup final. Having missed two penalties in a row, fans are already calling for Argentina to appoint a different penalty taker. Nevertheless, the statistics still favor the 39-year-old star.
